Whittier police officers and the Los Angeles County Fire Department seized about 2.5 tons of illegal fireworks worth about $100,000 while responding to a possible burglary on Sunday, according to a statement from the Whittier Police Department.

Around 7 p.m., officers heard an alarm and observed a rolled-up door in a commercial building in the 12000 block of Philadelphia Street — near Whittier High School — with people inside, officials said.

Three men and two women who were found inside the building were detained by officers and the massive amount of fireworks was discovered, according to the statement. The department obtained a warrant and 2.5 tons of fireworks were confiscated.

According to a Los Angeles County Fire Investigator, this was one of the top three seizures of illegal fireworks this year.

Those arrested were Sergio Alvarez, 44, of Los Angeles; Alfred Henderson, 58, of Pico Rivera; John Belden, 55, of Whittier; Aneli Quiroz, 24, of Los Angeles; and Adrianna Beltran, 28, of Los Angeles. They were arrested on suspicion of possession of explosive material near a theater, hall, school, college, church, hotel or other public building.

“All fireworks are illegal in the city of Whittier, and we take them very seriously,” Whittier police Officer Brad White said.

“We have a zero tolerance policy leading up to the Fourth of July, on the Fourth and thereafter,” he said.